Slab-cutting machine



Aug. .12, 1930. A, SAVAGE 1,772,818

SLAB CUTTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 2, 1928 y 3 Sheets-Sheet l a Q. N .`\`fo bz z\ n n M1- uu 4 U Q Q .S @l \U x a o N x 4j :o H w Svi/pento@ Aug. l2, 1930. A. SAVAGE 1,772,818

SLAB CUTTING MACHINE Filed not. 2, 1928 5 sheets-sheet 2 3u ucnlob Arhur 5 av E E'.

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Aug. 12, 1930.V A. SAVAGE SLAB CUTTING MACHINE Filed oct. 2, 1928 Patented Aug. 12, 1930 STATES PATENT orrice ARTHUR SAVAGE, on

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR 'lO TY-SA-MAN MACHINE COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE sten-cufnrrncfY MACHINE Appiicauon filed .october 2, V192s. serial No. 309,698.r

This invention relates to machines for dividing slabs of marble or other stone or concrete and has special reference to the means for feeding the bridge or'cutter-carrying element acrosstlie slab between successive cuts so as toproperly position the cutters as successive cuts are to be made. rihe invention provides simple and compact means whereby the bridge may be fed under power and the movement arrested ati the desired point and any inaccuracy in the .location of the bridge when its travel stops may be easily corrected. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinaft-er fully set forth.

In the drawings:

-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a yslabcutting apparatus having the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the bridge-feeding mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation with a part in section more particularly showing a portion of the bridge-feeding mechanism, and

Fig. t is an enlarged detail section taken longitudinally of the feeding shaft.

A slab-cutting machine embodies parallel side beams 1 which are rigidly mounted upon piers 2 of reinforced concrete or other substantial material and construction which will adequately carry the weight of the machine. Between the piers 2, a platform 3 is suitably mounted, and this platform may be in the form of a turntableif desired, the slab of stone, indicated at 4, being supported by the platform, as will be understood upon reference Vto Fig. 1. Mounted to travel along the` beams 1 is a bridge 5 which comprises parallel beams or bars 6 connected at their ends or between their ends in any convenient manner whereby the bridge will be given rigidity and will properly support cutting apparatus, indicated generally at 7. This cutting apparatus includes disks 8 of carborundum or other abrading material, and a motor 9 whereby the cutting or abrading disk will be rotated when the machine Vis in operation, and the cutting apparatus is mounted to travel from end to end of the bridge on Vfrom end to end of the same. n h bearings 18 in the-endA plates 19 ofthe bridge *is a shaft20 which'has keyed to its extremitracks 10 formed on the upper sides of the respective beams or bars 6. It will be understood thatv inthe operation of the apparatus, the cutting apparatus is caused to travel upon the bridge 5 between the side beams 1 with the disks 8 in contact with the slabV so vthat the slab will be divided into portions having the dimensions desired for the particular use for which they are to be put. After the cutters have traveled from one edge to the opposite edge of the slab, the cutting apparatus is raised from the slab and then returned to its initial position and, while the cutter is being returned to its initial position, the bridge is caused to travel longitudinally uponthe beams 1 soas to bring the cutters into position to make asecond cut.

Uponthe front and rear sides of the bridge 5 in the vertical planes of the beams 1 are brackets 11 in which are journaled rollers 12 having annular flanges 13 at their ends and adapted to rest directly upon the upper surfaces ofthe beams with'their flanges engaging the sides thereof so that the bridge will be properly supported and guided. Extending from the 'lower edges of the brackets 11 are shelves or lips 14 to each of which is attached an endless belt 15 which extends longitudinally of the respective beam 1 andv is trainedabout idle rollers 16 at the ends of the beam, these belts constituting guards to prevent foreign matter dropping onto the ways or the racks on the beams. In the top of each beam 1 extending longitudinally thereof and at the center of the Vsame is a rack 17 which is fixed to the beam' inf any convenient or approved manner and extends Mounted in ties pinions 2li meshing with the respective racks 17 so that, when the shaft is rotated, the pinions will travel longitudinally of the racks and thereby eect travel of the bridge to adjust the cutters.V AdjacentV one end of the bridge, a worm piniony 22 is secured, upon the shaft 20, and this pinion meshes with a worm gear 23 which is keyed upon a shaft 24 journaled in and extending throughthe respective beams or bars v6 and extendingto the front and the rear of the bridge, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 2, the intermediate portion of the shaft being supported and held against bending under strain by bearing sleeves 25 which are secured to or formed on the opposed faces of the bars 6 and encircle the shaft at the opposite sides of the worm 23, as shown clearly in F ig. 2. Upon the rear end of the shaft 24 is secured ya sprocket .gear 26 :and upon the bridge is mounted a motor 27 having a sprocket pinion 28 on the rear end of its shaft, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. il, a chain 29 being trained about the sprockets 26 and 2,8, as shown and as Will 'be understood. Upon .the front endof the shaft 24 is secured a .hand Wheel 30.

It is thought the operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in .connection with the :accompanying drawings. The motor 27 is an electric motor andthe current may be supplied :to or cut oit' therefrom through manipulation of any Well-known switch. During the Ecutting operation, the motor 27 is, .of course, inactive. When a cut has been completed and it is desired .toset the .cutters for a second operation` the circuit of the motor 27 is closed whereupon motion will .be imparted to the shaft 24 -Vthrough thegearing connecting the same with .the motor and the Worm 23 Will be thereby caused to actuate the Worm gear 22 to Vrotate the shaft '20, lwhereupon rthe pinions 2l will travel along' the racks 17. W'hen Athe cutters have reached the point where a-second cut is to begin, the motor is stopped and if the cutters should then he slightly out of location so that the prospective cuts Will not be properly spaced from the previous cuts the hand `Wheel 30 may be .rotated in `either direction so as .to rotate the entire adjusting mechanism and thereby set the bridge and the cutters at the exact loca-tion desired. It Wiill be understood that owing to the great Weight of the bridge and the parts mounted thereon it is n ot feasible to manually adjust :the ybridge between vsuccessive cuts with any degree of speed and by providing the motor .and the power driven gearing herein shown and described, I am enabled to very rapidly 'bring the bridge into position for a .second neut Awithout imposing any manual labor upon the attendant. Generally, the motor can be Stopped fso that the cutters will be located accurately but it sometimes vhap-pens that they will be slightly out Aof accurate location and this slight inaccuracy may be easily adjusted through vmanual manipulation of the hand Wheel 30. Y

so that the driving power Will be applied equally to the front and rear of the bridge and any tendency of the same to move with different degrees of speed at its opposite ends Will be counteracted.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

In a cutting apparatus comprising parallel track beams, and a bridge mounted for travel upon the track beams longitudinally lthereof and carrying power-driven cutters, said bridge composed of end plates and parallel bars 'spanning the track beams and arranged at a right angle thereto, upstanding racks extending longitudinally of the beams upon the tops thereof, la feeding shaft mounted in and extending through the fbridge parallel with the track beams, a transmission shaft disposed between the bars ofthe bridge paralllel therewith and j ournaled in the end pla-tes of fthe bridge, pinions upon the .ends of the transmission shaft meshing With the racks upon the respeotivetrack beams, a Worm gea-r on the .transmission shaft, a worm lon the feeding shaft between the bars of the bridge and meshing with said Worm gear, a motor .on the bridge, and gearing connecting :the motor With the feeding shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR samen. [es] The improved mechanism herein disclosed kvils .very simple and :compact and will 4operate -With a high degree of efficiency. It may be that the wor-m 23 and the -s'haft20 -`with the aring carried thereby are loeated'rnidmy een wetend 'merci the bridge lll) 

